localflavor Tasty dishes and BYO puts Top Spice at the top of my list.

Author: Dina Magaril

On the surface, even frequenters of Middlebury's Chinese restaurant scene would have a hard time finding anything different about their beloved establishment. But behind the kitchen doors, big changes have taken place.

The ambiance with its gray-green walls and floor-to-ceiling mirrors still exudes more Twilight Zone than Chinatown, but the spruced-up menu more than makes up for the atmosphere. But my favorite feature of the new and improves Top Spice is unquestionably the BYO policy. There's no sign on the door, but an insider informed me ahead of time so I came prepared, equipped with a pinot noir to start my evening right.

Curious about how long the BYO policy would last, I asked the waitress if they would be selling beer in the near future. Top Spice hopes to acquire a beer and wine license in the next few months, so to those of legal age - get in there quick if you want to take advantage of the BYO while you still can. Additionally, the restaurant may revamp its dining area to include a buffet sometime over the summer.

The waitress ushered us to a table and I examined my surroundings. The tableware was no dirtier than the dishes in Proctor, so they passed my test. And even if there is a little grease on your water glass, rest assured it is no different than the grease used to cook your food. But if you so desire, the waitress will happily replace your glass with a cleaner one.

After perusing the menu, we decided on a few dishes recommended by my insider friend: Sesame Tofu, Eggplant with Garlic Sauce, Orange Chicken and Singapore Rice Noodles, though they didn't have vegetable dumplings - my all-time favorite. Be sure to ask for the sweet and sour cucumber salad to start your meal, it's not on the menu but it's worth asking the waitress for ­- it's a great dish to refresh your palette.

The dishes were served promptly, though they did not arrive all at once - a standard practice in China as my friend informed me. I was hesitant to try the Sesame Tofu, since my carnivorous habits in Argentina have left me skeptical of fake meat. I still won't touch the stuff in the dining halls, but I will admit that this tofu exceeded my expectations with its delectably flavored sauce. Crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, who would guess bean curd could be so tasty?

Next, the Eggplant with Garlic Sauce arrived. At once firm and tender, the eggplant was deliciously smothered in a sweet, garlic sauce fused with the inherent eggplant flavor. The Orange Chicken arrived soon after, and was equally enticing. Enhanced by a lovely decoration of sliced strawberry and celery leaf in a flower design, the Orange Chicken glowed in the light - rather unnaturally - just the way American Chinese food should. To my surprise, however, I discovered actual orange peel speckled in the gleaming sauce.

Finally the waitress brought out a steaming plate of thin rice noodles dotted with shrimp, strips of chicken and beef, and peppered with scallions, sprouts, onion and hot pepper. The noodles were dyed bright yellow by the curry flavoring, which contrasted nicely with the other dishes which were rather sweet by comparison. The flavor was phenomenal, with that rich but indescribable curry flavor accompanied by a kick of hot red chili flakes.

After the meal, I was appropriately stuffed, but surprisingly conversational. My typical post-Chinese food sensation is generally akin to a hangover, but this meal did not leave me in a food coma. I felt fine, albeit full, but fine, even a little bit tipsy. I picked up a complimentary orange slice from the plate as I marveled at the check. A perfect meal for $10 a head and a fortune on the side - what more could you ask for?